Environment

There is an increasing amount of traffic on the road each year,
making simple journeys more time consuming and stressful. This
increase in the use of cars can cause a number of environmental,
social and health impacts. Some affect us directly - accident
statistics show that our roads can be dangerous places, while
traffic congestion can have adverse effects on our health and
general well-being. Others are far less obvious but may have more
far-reaching consequences. For example, the gases and chemicals
released by engines contribute to global warming and air pollution.

Emissions
of CO2 have been falling since 1970 due to the increased
efficiency in energy use and the use of alternative energy sources.1
However, despite improved technology and fuel efficiencies,
transport is the only sector that shows an increase in CO2
emissions.

The
increasing use of motor vehicles has an impact on the growth in
local air pollution. Exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide, oxides
of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulates –
all of which are harmful to health when released into the
environment.

Carbon monoxide - reduces the amount of
oxygen the blood can carry causing sleepiness and headaches, as
well as problems for people with breathing difficulties.

Oxides of
nitrogen
– irritants that make
eyes water and damage the delicate tissue deep in the lungs.

VOCs – some compounds can cause cancer,
others react with oxides of nitrogen to form ozone which
damages lung tissue and causes breathing difficulties.

School
Travel Plans look at and effect both the global and local
environment.

Reducing the amount of traffic directly outside a school can
have a positive effect on students as the reduction in noise
can help them concentrate and hear their teachers better. The
improvement in air quality will also make it a more pleasant
environment for students to walk and cycle to and from school
and reduce the negative health impacts of poor air quality.

Fewer
cars parked outside schools provides a safer and a more
aesthetically pleasing environment for the local residents and
school community.

When
working on a School Travel Plan, students will be considering
their local environment and how they would like to improve it
for the benefit of the whole community.

A recent
study has shown that children have a good grasp of a whole range of
environmental issues but this needs to be furthered by exploring
their own environment. The same study asked children how they would
wish to improve their environment – it’s not surprising that the
majority response was for there to be less traffic.2

“Education for sustainable
development enables people to develop the knowledge, values and
skills to participate in decisions about the way we do things
individually and collectively, both locally and globally, that
will improve the quality of life now without damaging the planet
for the future.”(The
National Curriculum, 1999 Government Panel for Sustainable
Development Education)